Plans for new, green council building set to get final go-ahead
A new, low carbon council office located at the planned sustainable village at the site of Top Wighay Farm is due to be considered by Nottinghamshire County Council’s Planning and Rights of Way Committee.
This new building will form part of plans to bring long-term savings for taxpayers by creating more carbon-neutral council buildings, generating income by leasing space within buildings, and co-locating with other public organisations. The flagship building is also planned to provide new, flexible workspace and accommodation for small and medium-sized businesses.
The new Top Wighay office is part of wider plans to build a sustainable village on the site, which already has outline planning permission. The wider plans will bring 805 new homes and a new primary school and are estimated to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs and boost the economy by more than £873 million over a decade.
This site is on land which has been approved for development in Gedling Borough Council’s local plan. None of this development site is designated as green belt land.
Cabinet member for economic development and asset management, Councillor Keith Girling, said: “We are an ambitious, forward-thinking council and have made a clear pledge to help meet the UK’s carbon-neutral targets by 2030 so it’s vital we invest now to make our buildings more energy-efficient.
“The new building at Top Wighay will house services such as adult and children’s social care, which are currently based in leased office space.
“We will move out of buildings we pay rent for and bring services closer to the residents who need them the most, which will cut down on their travel time and help the environment.
“This forms part of wider plans for more carbon-neutral buildings with the aims of saving money, improving quality for the benefit of communities across the county.
“We have focused on improving our buildings which offer services to some of our most vulnerable residents.
“Top Wighay aims to be as carbon-neutral as possible and will be built to the highest of standards when it comes to sustainable buildings.”
As part of the statutory planning process partners and local residents have had the opportunity to feedback on planning proposals.
Cllr Girling continues: “We have taken all feedback into careful consideration and welcomed the support for our plans from many partners.
“We appreciate that traffic is a concern in the area, which is why footpaths, cycling routes and other forms of sustainable travel such as buses are at the heart of plans.
“Following feedback, access to the existing, regular bus services (The Threes) will be improved thanks to new bus shelters with real-time displays in both directions on the A611. A direct pedestrian/cycle path to the A611 from the new council building will also provide quicker, more convenient access.
“Our plans will also include creating electric vehicle charging points in the staff car park area.”
This site is close to the M1 and Hucknall is well served by tram and rail, with existing links to Nottingham, Derby, Mansfield and Chesterfield.
Completed infrastructure work at the site includes an expanded roundabout on the A611/Annesley Road, a new signal-controlled junction as well as a new, three-metre wide, shared use footway/cycle lane along the northern side of the A611 north of Hucknall and to the west of Linby. This work has already helped to limit the impact of traffic on nearby towns and villages.
Cllr Girling added: “Let’s not forget this investment will provide building contracts for local subcontractors, which in turn benefits the local economy and local jobs.
“Plus, as one of the county’s biggest employers with many staff in public-facing roles or still being office-based from time to time, having workplaces which are fit for purpose and in the right place around the county, forms part of the thinking behind these plans.”
Subject to planning approval work is planned to start on site early next year.
The Top Wighay council building is being delivered though the Arc Partnership, on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council.
Office move marks start of new chapter for sales and marketing firm
A Northamptonshire-based sales company is relocating to new offices in the county after experiencing significant post pandemic growth.
Virtual Sales Team, which has been operating in Northampton for 15 years, has moved into a 1,250 sq ft barn office on Pury Hill Business Park near Towcester.
The move comes after a difficult trading period for the company, which was massively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the months have rolled by, Virtual Sales Team has bounced back stronger and now boasts a team of 37 people, four more than pre pandemic.
Andrew Smart, solutions director and founder of Virtual Sales Team, said: “I don’t mind admitting that we had a really tough time during COVID-19. Our business dropped off significantly during the first lockdown as many of our clients didn’t want to be seen to be marketing or selling during this time and wanted to pause their activity. We furloughed staff and moved out of our prominent office at Rushmills in Northampton and reverted to working from home.
“Whilst this was hugely concerning and stressful at the time, it did give us the opportunity to take a step back and look at the business with fresh eyes and devise a whole new business plan and fantastic product portfolio.”
The location for the new office was chosen after a staff happiness and wellbeing survey gave the management team a list of criteria to satisfy, which included green space, free parking, electric vehicle charging points and close proximity to gyms and restaurants for lunch breaks. It also needed to be the perfect space to fully embrace a hybrid model of working, bring the team together again and welcome clients.
“Choosing the location for our next office proved to be a real challenge,” said Andrew. “Before COVID we were fully office based, then we were fully remote. Now we want a hybrid of the two. VST has been testing the hybrid model for over six months now to find, not only the perfect size of office, but also what additional value the space needs to deliver.
“We needed to find somewhere that made people excited about going to work again on the days they do and that could offer an environment we could work together collaboratively and creatively. At Pury Hill there are nature walks, a gym, a café and the setting is just beautiful. The team absolutely love our new home and tell us we completely overdelivered on their brief.
“Being less than 10 minutes from Milton Keynes but still in Northamptonshire also extends our reach over the border in terms of attracting and recruiting talented staff in the future.”
Louise Howson, who was promoted to Managing Director at Virtual Sales Team in April, added: “We are seeing this move as the start of a brand new chapter for Virtual Sales Team – we are calling it VST 2.0 internally!
“The name Virtual Sales Team is more relevant now than when we were established in 2007. We want to remain true to our core mission of ‘introducing our clients to their next customer’ but being innovative in the way we do it and constantly looking at developing new products, processes and services that will enable us to deliver on that.
“People noticed when the sign came down at our last office as it was in such a prominent position on the Bedford Road. We want to let people know that we have bounced back to be bigger, better and more efficient than ever before and we intend to keep building on that momentum.”
Yü Group marks fourth consecutive period of revenue growth
Yü Group, the challenger independent supplier of gas, electricity and water to the UK corporate sector, has reported “significant revenue growth” and “much improved profitability” in a new trading update for the six months ended 30 June 2022.
The first half of 2022 represents Yü Group’s fourth consecutive period of revenue growth, with H1 22 revenues expected to exceed £125m, up over 90% compared to H1 21 (£65.8m) and up over 39% from H2 21.
Revenues for the year are now expected to grow by over 50% against 2021 (£155.4m).
Bobby Kalar, group Chief Executive Officer at the Nottingham-headquartered firm, said: “The period delivered a continued strong financial performance with significant revenue growth, margin expansion and consequently much improved profitability and cash generation. H1 22 will represent our 4th consecutive period of revenue growth and margin improvement and I am confident we will continue to deliver in H2 22.
“Despite the wider macro environment and the pressures being felt in the industry our story, brand and growth remains strong. We are delivering our KPI’s in line with management expectations and we continue to derive significant strategic benefits both operationally and commercially from the investments we have made in our systems and processes.
“In H2 22 we will launch Yü Smart, our smart metering business, and expect to be installing our first smart meters in Q4 this year. This capability will represent a significant strategic milestone in the expansion of the group.
“I am delighted by our performance in H1 and am confident this momentum will continue into H2 and beyond. The Board remains as excited as ever about the future of the group. I would like to thank all of my team who continue to deliver on our medium term goal of £500m of revenues with an adjusted EBITDA margin in excess of 4%.”
Gain exposure at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022: submit your nominations by 19 August!
Raise the profile of your business by submitting a nomination for East Midlands Business Link’s prestigious Bricks Awards!
Celebrating the region’s property and construction industry, its people, and outstanding developments, the annual awards attract leaders from across the region and are the perfect way for businesses to promote the work they are completing and create more buzz.
Award categories include: most active estate agent, commercial development of the year, responsible business of the year, residential development of the year, developer of the year, deal of the year, architects of the year, excellence in design, sustainable development of the year, contractor of the year, and overall winner.
A highlight in the calendar, winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 15 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening that will also provide plenty of opportunities to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region.
Henry Brothers, winners of Commercial Development of the Year at the 2021 East Midlands Bricks Awards, reflected on the event: “Henry Brothers was absolutely thrilled to have won the Commercial Development of the Year award at the East Midlands Bricks for the delivery of the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility at Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton Campus.
“The Henry Brothers story began in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and the company has grown to become a leading UK construction company. However, this award for Henry Brothers Midlands cements our position as a significant member of the East Midlands construction sector and we are very proud to have been recognised for our contribution.
“We enjoyed the informal atmosphere of the East Midlands Bricks Awards ceremony and hope to nominate projects next year, as we’d very much like to be part of the event in 2022.”
To submit a business or development for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022, please click on a category link below or visit this page. Make your nominations before entries close on Friday 19 August!
The Overall Winner of the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022 will also be awarded a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000.
Find out who last year’s winners were here.
Thanks to our sponsors:
- Most active estate agent
- Commercial development of the year
- Responsible business of the year
- Residential development of the year
- Developer of the year
- Deal of the year
- Architects of the year
- Excellence in design
- Sustainable development of the year
- Contractor of the year
- Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, the winner will be selected from those nominated)
Book your tickets now
Tickets can now be booked for the awards event – click here to secure yours. The special awards evening and networking event will be held on 15 September 2022 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge County Cricket Club from 4:30pm – 7:30pm. Connect with local decision makers over canapés and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region. The event will also welcome John Forkin MBE DL, Managing Director at award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby, as keynote speaker, as well as award-winning mind reader, magician, and professional mentalist Looch, who will bewilder and astonish guests during the evening’s networking. Dress code is standard business attire.
To be held at:
Grant Thornton appoints tax risk specialist
Grant Thornton UK LLP’s tax team continues its growth and investment in specialisms with the appointment of tax risk management specialist, Sam Dean.
Joining the firm as an associate director, Sam will support clients on all aspects of tax governance, including the Corporate Criminal Offence and Senior Accounting Officer regimes.
Sam joins the firm from HMRC where he gained over a decade of experience in the Specialist Investigation and Fraud Investigation Service, working on tackling offshore tax evasion and enablers of tax crime. Sam was the HMRC lead for the Corporate Criminal Offence of failing to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion since its introduction in September 2017 and led an international action group to help OECD countries develop their own approach.
In his new role, Sam will support Grant Thornton’s 40-strong Midlands’ tax team based in Birmingham and Leicester. This team has been bolstered over the past 12 months by Rachel Parker’s move to become lead partner for Midlands Corporate Tax and Rob Outram’s appointment to the regional head of VAT.
Nicola Haynes has also recently become the new lead for the Midlands’ customs duty practice. Nicola brings almost 40 years’ experience in customs duties and cross border trade to the role, in positions spanning HMRC, industry organisations and advisory firms.
Commenting on the appointment, Lee Holloway, tax partner, said: “Sam’s knowledge and expertise are hugely sought after, and so I’m delighted he chose to join us at Grant Thornton. Sam will be brilliant at supporting our clients on Corporate Criminal Offence work and providing insight into our wider tax risk and governance work. He joins the established Tax Risk Management team based across the UK and will work closely with the team to develop the tax risk offerings and tools.”
Sam Dean, associate director at Grant Thornton, said: “It was a big decision for me to leave HMRC and so I was very selective about my next move. The people from Grant Thornton that I met through my previous role were impressive and spoke highly of the firm, and the partners have been incredibly supportive.
“The opportunity to get involved in lots of exciting specialist areas that play to my strengths, was the icing on the cake. I’m really looking forward to working with the great people on the Grant Thornton team to develop market-leading corporate criminal offence and financial crime prevention offerings.”
Engineering consultancy expands senior management team during period of growth
Civil and structural engineering consultancy, Howard Ward Associates (HWA) has restructured its management team with members stepping up to senior positions, as the company goes from strength to strength with a large pipeline of work and three new hires appointed recently.
HWA sees two new buy ins to the senior management team with associates Andy Bowler, who has been with the company for six years, and Dave Taylder, who has been with the company just under two years, each stepping up to director level.
From its head office in Nottingham, HWA delivers construction engineering consultancy services across the country across sectors including education, healthcare, emergency services and residential.
The company is experiencing a period of rapid growth, appointing three new team members in recent months – including senior technician Nadeem Chaudhry, administrator and business development assistant Iqra Saleem, and senior civil engineer Theodora Francis.
The expansion of the team comes in response to the growing pipeline of projects that HWA is involved in – with an approximate construction value of £100million.
Director Dan Bailey will be also taking on the role of Managing Director, as the company’s current Managing Director Giles Ward takes a step back following 26 years at HWA.
Dan, who joined HWA in 2013, has more than 25 years’ experience as a civil and structural engineer, working in the public and private sectors on varied projects both regionally and nationally.
The firm has recently worked on impressive projects such as the Alfreton Park Community Special School in Derbyshire and the Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service joint headquarters as well as substantial student accommodation schemes in Brighton and Coventry.
On the restructure, Managing Director, Giles Ward said: “During my 26 years with the company I have been delighted to see our client base, portfolio and the range of services we offer continue to grow. We have been involved with a huge array of schemes across the country from pre-acquisition through to project completion – from heritage to healthcare, and the future of the company is positive as we expand our team to manage our strong pipeline of work.
“Congratulations to Andy, Dave and Dan on their new positions – it is an exciting period for the team, as we focus on nurturing the relationships that we have with our clients and celebrate the fantastic work that has been achieved to date.”
Dan Bailey commented: “I am extremely pleased to be taking on this new role at an exciting time for the company, and to be able to reward Andy Bowler and Dave Taylder for the key parts they have played in the success of the business over recent years. Congratulations to them on stepping up to director level.
“I believe that an expanded senior management team gives a solid base for growth and we look forward to further diversifying HWA’s client base and the sectors in which we work.”
The East Midlands Expo: a great day of networking
Taking place on Monday 14 November 2022, the East Midlands Expo will provide the perfect opportunity to create new contacts.
An established event of over 20 years, for which Business Link is a proud partner, the free to attend expo is well targeted and aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets.
Hosted at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, the day will begin with exhibitor breakfast networking, with the exhibition opening to attendees at 9am, and a seminar taking place between 10:45am and noon.
A special networking lunch (for which tickets can be purchased here) will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm.
For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.
To register to attend the event for free click here.
To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.
From property agents to developers, architects, contractors, investors, PR firms, and more, see the list of current exhibitors here.Multi let industrial investment sold in Nottingham
Acting on behalf of the sellers, FHP have concluded the off-market sale of the Balloon Wood Industrial Estate in Nottingham to Medina Green, a regionally based property investment company.
The industrial estate comprises some 40,372 sq ft of industrial units on 4.4 acres and is currently multi let to a mixture of tenants.
The property has been sold at well in excess of the guide price after a competitive process carried out by the selling agents.
A representative at the purchasers of Medina Green said: “We wish to thank Mark and his team at FHP for their professionalism in the manner they handled this sale. With a limited window to complete the purchase we were able to do so by being well supported by our legal team at Cleggs Solicitors.
“Balloon Wood Industrial Estate is an attractive investment for us as it offers both development and asset management opportunity. The location is also ideal for our tenants as it has easy access to the motorway and arterial routes and the units are also well sized to suit the marketplace.”
Mark Tomlinson, director at FHP, who acted on behalf of the sellers said: “The property offers a good scope for rental growth through refurbishment and asset management of the property given the strength of the industrial sector and the lack of supply of units of this nature available to occupiers. The new owners intend to undertake improvements to the estate over the coming months to further cater for occupational demand.”
Philip Westin-Hardy at New West acted as joint agents on the deal.
Small firms call for action as insurance premiums rise and coverage shrinks, new report finds
Small firms are encountering widespread problems in their dealings with the insurance market, amid rising premium costs, a new report has found.
FSB’s new publication, Paying a premium? Reforming the insurance market to work for small firms, looks into the price of insurance and whether the products on offer are suitable for small business customers.
The findings expose concerns about whether the insurance market is performing adequately for small firms and self-employed people.
With high inflation putting general pressure on small firms’ bottom lines, the report’s finding that a clear majority (60%) have seen their insurance premiums rise in the last year is an illustration of the cost squeeze facing small businesses, who cannot in most cases operate without various forms of cover.
Over half (52%) of those whose premium costs have risen say that the rise is 11 per cent or greater, while some individual businesses have seen cost rises far in excess of that – particularly following a claim.
The pandemic brought many underlying problems with insurance into sharp relief, as small firms had to fight hard for their business interruption insurance to be honoured, leading to significant uncertainty and worry at a time when they were already fighting to survive.
Other types of insurance, particularly professional indemnity insurance (PII) – which is very often a trading requirement for firms in areas such as accounting or architecture, among others – have seen their markets harden, restricting access to cover and the protection afforded to customers in the wake of COVID-19.
The report includes numerous recommendations for regulators, insurers, and the Government on how to resolve or improve many of the difficulties small firms face around insurance, including:
- The Government should work together with insurers and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the regulator to agree specific conditions for forms of Government support that should not be taken into account when calculating business interruption insurance claims.
- The Financial Conduct Authority should be explicitly required to consider intervening in a market if it becomes clear that there is a segment/sector of businesses that are unable to obtain insurance.
- The Government should convene discussion with relevant sector-specific regulators and professional associations, to ensure that PII requirements that are imposed as a condition of being able to practise are assessed so they do not disadvantage small businesses. The FCA should carry out a market study of PII, given recent price increases and market hardening.
- The Government should use the Procurement Bill to remove barriers for SMEs in accessing public procurement opportunities. This should include commitments not to impose unlimited liability for public contracts, to share risk reasonably, and to ensure that both PII and public liability insurance requirements in public contracts are proportionate to the size of the contract.
Joules “making good progress to improve profitability”
The first six weeks of Joules’ new financial year have seen retail sales growth of 8.5% year on year.
The news comes as the Market Harborough-based lifestyle group provides a trading update following the completion of its FY22 financial year on 29 May 2022.
Joules noted that due to additional cost reductions, it anticipates FY22 adjusted profit before tax and adjusting items to be slightly ahead of current market expectations.
The company added that it is “making good progress on its plans to improve profitability by simplifying the business and optimising the cost base.”
This includes implementing plans to reduce its global wholesale accounts to focus on long-term profitable partnerships, shorten product lead times, and diversify the group’s ethically sourced supplier base.
Joules has also received an extension to banking facilities.
As of 26 June, the group had net debt of £17.7m, giving £15m headroom within its banking facilities, and has now received credit approval for a further £5m headroom on its borrowing facilities with Barclays until November 2022 to support working capital requirements over the group’s forthcoming seasonal borrowing peak.
